Mick McKellar Update--Day +102

Intrepid walker, dressed for heat...

The intrepid walkers did manage a trip to and from Rochester Methodist this morning, to visit at the world's slowest pharmacy and try to get a refill on my Flonase. As luck would have it, there was no refill ordered on that medication and my doctor had to call one in for tomorrow. We visited the Mayo Store to get a new dressing for my catheter, which we hope will be the last one. If we are released to go home next Thursday, they will pull the catheter and we won't have to worry about dressings for it anymore.


It rained as we walked back, and stopped as we arrived at the transplant house.


l was covered in sunscreen today. The temperature easily reached the mid-90's today, and I guess the humidity was nearly there as well. It was brutally warm outside -- midsummer weather. Marian was exceeding happy and I was wilting. We sat and rocked on the veranda for nearly an hour, while I tried to identify the make and model of each car passing the house. It's not an easy task anymore, and I am amazed at how many vehicles passed by before a duplicate make and model crossed our path. What a bewildering variety of cars, trucks, vans, minivans, crossovers, etc.! Not the most exciting way to pass an hour, but the breeze was nice and the company even better.


The sun did not seem to cause any problems with my rash, so I assume the sunscreen worked well. We have noted no change for the worse in my condition. I was fatigued after the walk in all that heat, but felt pretty good after rocking in the shade until lunchtime.

Cascade Creek, not Day Dream River

After lunch, I decided I should write my journal entry (or at least get started) and maybe work on a poem or two. So, I clambered into my recliner, put my ancient laptop on a lap-desk in my lap and opened my mind to day dreams, relaxing a bit to let the ideas flow. Almost as though I blinked once, I woke up more than two hours later. My fingers will still on the keyboard of the old Dell and the cursor was still blinking in the upper left corner of my text editor window, patiently waiting for my mind to return to my body. 


The experience is a bit frightening, as I don't remember drifting off to sleep so completely and so quickly. I read in the literature that this kind of thing happens to BMT patients all the time and that afternoon naps are not only common, but recommended. However, the books don't talk about accidentally hitting the off switch or a pause button somewhere. Spooky.


So, I wrote a poem about being caught in a Nap Storm. You will find it on Out of My Mind, my poetry blog.


Our friends took us out to dinner again tonight and we had a great meal and a wonderful time talking about going home. We thank them for their kindness. We also thank you for your communications with us, sending bits and pieces of home in your messages, cards, letters, and calls. Your prayers and good thoughts are powerful medicine and a source of hope. 


God bless and good night,


Mick